It is sure good to hear from you all. Thanks for your letters. It was also really nice talking to you all on Christmas. I've been starting to think more about coming home since this transfer started. It is all coming way too fast and I'll be home before I know it. I'm not ready for that yet. I still feel like I have so much work to do here helping the members and you can be so effective as a missionary because you have been called of God and have His power and authority. In the short two weeks that I have been here I have grown to love the people in the Capitol area. I have had five less-active members commit to come back to church and one already has. Her name is Fe. She also paid tithing which she has only ever done once before. They have been really struggling financially and I told her that the Lord wants to help, she just has to do her part and pay tithing. I am so excited to see the blessings that come into her life. We will see if the others come to church as well. We visit them a lot to make sure they follow through. I love working with the inactive members. It is so much better than working with investigators. They already have a testimony of the gospel but for one reason or another they have gone inactive. Some because of a lack of money and not being able to get to church, others because they have been offended. But in almost every case they want to come back, they are just unsure of how to do it. They are afraid to take the first step and that is where we come in. We bring the spirit back into their home and rekindle their testimony and help them to overcome their fears and realize all of the blessings that are theirs if they will just repent and follow the plan that our Heavenly Father has for them.
My companion is great. He goes on his mission in 11 days so I only have another 7 days with him and then I get a new one. And then three weeks after that I get another companion, but this time an Elder, not just a stake missionary. I have really enjoyed training. It is a lot of fun and it helps me to see the areas of my work where I need to improve. I have to live what I teach. It is a really great growing experience. Brother Enriquez, my companion, is growing a lot too. He is still a little hesitant but when he teaches he does a great job.
Also my ward is fantastic! I have the best bishop I have ever seen or heard of in the Philippines! I was companions with his nephew, Elder Plania, when I was assigned in Consolation. Bishop Tylaran is just so motivated and excited to help. The spirit is so strong in his home. You can just tell by the way you feel around him that he is a great guy. It is a pleasure to work by his side.
We are also so blessed here with meal appointments. We have only visited members here so often we get fed. Since we now have no more tracting in the mission, we only find investigators through the members, usually part member families. We only have one investigator and he is living with a member family. Hopefully he will progress.
I am glad to see that you are making huge progress on the North Wing. It looks good. I am excited to be able to see that when I get home. Sounds like the Lord has been blessing you there with providing you with the tools you need for cheap. The only reason (other than to see my amazing family) I would like to be home is to be able to help you build. I love building and I haven't learned about dry wall or electrical yet. That would be interesting. But it sounds like my younger brother has grown right into my shoes and kicked me right out! He is the new right hand man. Sounds like he is doing good though. We will have to fight for the #1 son position when I get back home.
Thanks also Eric for your great advice on being enthusiastic. I’ll work on teaching my companion that through example.
Sure love you all. Take care,
Elder Schenk
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